Late evening. 15th April, 2010.I just got out of the opening ceremony of my photography exhibitionin Manchester. I went on the net to check the latest status.There was no time to lose. I hurried to the train station to catchthe 5.00 am train to London.Hopefully, the skies there would be clear and safe enough to fly home.Well, wishful thinking...When I got to the train station, the news keptflashing across the information board. UK airspace was closed to all air traffic.In the days that followed, all we could do was to look tothe skyfor a sign of relief. Thousands and thousands of air travellersaround the world were grounded by the thick ash clouds ofEyjafjallajökull in Iceland...in other words, a natural disaster.

The next 6 days in London taught me a real lesson.I genuinely experienced the impermanence of life.I camped out at my friend's studio.With my laptopin front of me,I connected with Hong Kong, trying to do some work while checking the situation at the airport at small intervals.I knew nature was not to be blamed for my predicament. If anything,the natural disaster provided food for thought. Yes, it had happened.The advancement of technology and human civilization had got tothe point of no return.

Not too long ago (about a century), motor vehicles took the place ofhorse carriages. Then (only about half a century ago) came aeroplanes,which completely redefined man's concept of time and distance.The disruptions caused by the volcanic eruptions made me wonder.No doubt, we are enjoying the benefits that progress,civilization and convenience bring. But what if, one day, we were to returnto the minimal basics of survival, would we still be able to cope,physically and mentally? For instance, as a drastic measure to cut carbonemissions, scientists have proposed to reduce or even abandon air travel. Obviously, those airline bosses who profit the most would readily disagree.But how about the mass of frequent flyers?Would they tolerate a life without flying?

Staring at my laptop, I imagined what would happen if a disaster ofa similar magnitude appeared on the internet. Would we correspond vialittle stamps and envelopes? spend hours in the library looking up information?depend on pigeons to bring our messages to someone far away?

No return.Advancements in techology and civilization have ushered man's way of lifeand values to a road of no return, forging right ahead tothe bright uncharted future or perhaps, plunging deep down intothe dark doomed abyss below....Science fictions and social scientistshave long forewarned of a future world in which man will be taken overby machines and robots which possess the same or even higher intelligencethan their inventors.

Before the message 'system error' appears on our computer screens,note down what you envisage the days without the net would be like:

Someone loses a lover, hence losing the only channel of communicationsand confines himself to his lair, deaf and dumb; or like the university studentin the UK, who has become a netaholic and is desperately awaiting help.

Together, let's visualise the coming of this day and contribute tothis screenplay,whatever you conceive it to be, a warning, a comedy,a tear-jerker, a farce, or if you wish, not a disaster.

IMAGINE WITHOUT NET

假想無網

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